AI 1980s photo trend: From privacy to climate impact, 3 things to consider before joining in
Data centres for AI storage significantly impact local climates and require vast amounts of water, exacerbating shortages in already stressed areas.
In the 1980s, a trend emerged where people created AI-generated photos of themselves in a 1980s style. This trend has resurfaced on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, prompting consideration of the associated privacy and environmental impacts.
When using AI to create these 1980s-style images, it's important to be aware that the data may be used by AI companies like OpenAI and Google to improve and train their models. Unless users opt out, their pictures could be saved and utilized for this purpose.
The trend also raises concerns about the environmental impact of AI data centers. These facilities can contribute to what's known as the "data heat island effect," where land surface temperatures around data centres increase, sometimes by up to 9°C (16.2°F). Additionally, data centers are often located in water-stressed regions and consume significant amounts of water for cooling and electricity generation.
In fact, AI data centers are projected to nearly double their electricity consumption by 2030, consuming roughly 1.5% of global electricity.
So, before joining in on the 1980s AI photo trend, it's worth considering the potential privacy implications of sharing your pictures with AI systems and the environmental consequences of the widespread use of these technologies.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
